Angel Hair with Shiitake, Caramelized Onions and Spinach

We here in DC are quietly waiting for Hurricane Sandy to collide with some nice arctic Canadian air. It's the calm before the storm...just waiting. Will classes be canceled? Will the city flood, or, more specifically, will my basement manage to stay dry? Will we all lose power? When we all lose power, how long will it be out? We'll just have to wait and see, I suppose. And just what does this have to do with this dish? Not one thing. I just wanted you to think about the hurricane even if you live far away. It's a little exciting in a bad-things-could-happen kind of way. Anyway. On with our recipe for today.

One of the farmers at the market in Old Town Alexandria sells some of the most delectable mushrooms I've ever eaten. And the shiitakes, oh the shiitakes! I knew they deserved their own dish to highlight such a rich, buttery flavor. So I caramelized some onions, and tossed them together with the mushrooms and some spinach (or arugula, as my husband prefers, but it's a bit bitter for me sometimes) in some angel hair pasta and voila! A simple, elegant, and, might I be so bold to say, superb pasta dish that will tempt even those who think they don't love mushrooms. 

Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Calzones

There's this little Italian pizzeria in Denver near where my Grandpa lives called "Rico's." They make The Best Calzones I've ever had. Maybe it's because Rico is really Italian. And so are most of his kitchen staff (family members, by the look of things). The dough is perfect, the cheese melty and stringy and delicious, and the calzone is smothered in sauce. Most of the food they sell is for take-out as their little restaurant only seats about 20 people in their cramped booths and tables sitting almost in the middle of the walk-ways.

And the best part of all is if you're female and Rico isn't too busy with other things, he will shout "Ciao, Bella!" as you walk out the door. My dream is to go back and have Rico shout "Beautiful" to me. He didn't last time. Maybe one day...

I'm quite sure that if Rico had a bite of these calzones he would throw his Italian hands up in the air in dismay No sauce? Only one kind of cheese? Where's the MEAT?" But that aside, I think they're pretty dang tasty. I have an undying love for caramelized onions and red peppers, and these calzones contain both, so I'm pretty well satisfied. Except for the "Bella" part. No one called me Bella as I took these out of the oven.

Grilled Balsamic Chicken Cutlets over Spinach Salad with Warm Shallot Vinaigrette

Yes, this is an extremely long name for a salad, I agree, but it does provide you with an excellent description of what to expect. Only it leaves out the fact that there is bacon in this salad, which I feel is really a shortcoming, because when you know something has bacon in it, it immediately becomes more exciting, or at least it does in our house.

I made this a few nights ago for me and my husband. We both love, love the Summer Salad with Grilled Salmon recipe we have, especially the dressing. In fact I use this dressing on other salads just because it is so dang good and will last in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

Baked Pasta with Sausage and Vegetables

Please forgive me for the abundance of sausage recipes lately. I've had a thing for home-y comforting food involving sausage, and this one is just the ticket if you're looking a warm, friendly dish to serve the masses.

You also won't find an easier pasta dish than this one...other than maybe spaghetti and sauce. Toss everything in a bowl together, stir, bake and serve. Total prep time is probably less than 15 minutes.

Roasted Beets with Citrus and Feta

I am currently on a road trip and sitting in one of the grimier motels I've ever been in. There are 5 strip clubs down the street and several shady-looking dudes loitering around the building. Welcome to the ghetto part of San Diego. I'm also thinking that it would be very nice if I had something light and tasty to munch on (twizzler pull-n-peels get a bit old after two days of pulling and peeling). Something citrusy. Something juicy. Like this salad.

I have a strange relationship with beets. Some days I love them; other days the mere thought of beets makes me gag just a little. The day I made this salad was an excellent beet day. And I bet you wouldn't have thought to combine citrus and beets and feta and barley, but it really is an excellent match, I assure you.

Red Pepper, Asparagus and Spinach Frittata

I've made some variation of this dish at least 4 times in the past 2 weeks (which may not sound like a lot, but I hate to repeat meals within memory...what can I say, I like variety). It's been great for those days when I'm totally in a rush for dinner, but still want to manage to get some veggies in for the day: voila, a frittata. But what is it?

Think of a frittata like an omelet. An Italian omelet. It can have any combination of meats, cheese and vegetables and is usually first cooked in a pan on the stove and finished off in the oven. But unlike your typical omelet, in a frittata, the vegetables are cooked first. Once softened, you add the egg/cheese mixture and cook until the egg is firm. Some frittatas (like this one) are broiled briefly to fluff and brown the top. And I'd eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Red Pepper, Asparagus and Spinach Frittata
Recipe by Kelly
Pictures by Caroline

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped into small pieces*
1 bunch asparagus (about a 2 inch bunch), chopped into small pieces
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 cups spinach, roughly chopped
4 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup white cheese (like mozzarella, fontina, or parmesan)

1. Heat oil in large oven-safe skillet. Add bell pepper, asparagus and onion and saute about 5 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Add spinach and cover for 2 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine eggs, milk, salt, pepper and cheese in a small bowl. Preheat oven to broil.
3. Reduce heat to low and cook about 2 minutes, until most of the water has evaporated from the pan. Add egg mixture, but do not stir! Gently spread some of the egg mixture through the pan, if needed.
4. Cook about 10 minutes, until eggs are mostly firm when you shake the pan. Place pan in oven and broil 2 minutes. Eggs should be firm and just barely starting to brown.

*Mushrooms, arugula, green pepper, zucchini, or your other favorite vegetable would be a fine substitute for any of the vegetables in this frittata.

Chicken Saag

Chicken Saag literally means "chicken spinach," and it's an ever popular Indian dish. And contrary to what the picture below might lead you to believe, it tastes absolutely fantastic. (Not that Caroline didn't do a great job with her photography; it's just that Indian food isn't the most...photogenic of the food genres out there). But you can't expect real beauty from pureed spinach.

Two bits of advice before you begin cooking: (1) you might notice our slightly-too-thin-sauce in the picture; we have adjusted the recipe so that yours will hopefully avoid such a mishap. But just be sure, wait til the very end to add more water to the sauce (we were a little over eager). (2) We recommend serving the chicken saag over or alongside of naan bread. But if you're crunched for time, rice will also suffice.

Chicken Saag
Recipe adapted from India's 500 Best Recipes
Pictures by Caroline

8 oz fresh spinach, washed, but not dried
1 1/2 inch piece ginger root, peeled and grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, roughly chopped
1/2 cup water, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
4 large chicken breasts, cut in half

1. In a large skillet on medium heat, cook the spinach, covered, for about 5 minutes. Combine the cooked spinach, ginger, garlic, jalapeno peppers, and 1/4 cup water in a blender. Pulse until a thick puree. Set aside.
2. Using the same large skillet, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the bay leaves and black peppercorns and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the onion and saute until onion is soft (about 5 minutes).
3. Add the tomatoes (including juice) and simmer about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, salt, and chili powder. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the spinach puree. Add the yogurt and simmer 5 more minutes.
4. Add the chicken and stir to coat with sauce. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add more water if a thinner sauce is desired. Serve over naan bread or basmati rice.

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This dish has a lot going for it. First of all, the star ingredient is goat cheese. And if you like goat cheese, you really can't go wrong with it. The slight nutty flavor is fantastic, and it's definitely a welcome change from your typical Italian or American cheeses. The recipe itself is super easy and probably took about 15 minutes from start to finish (maybe a little longer because we forgot to start our water boiling). The sun dried tomatoes have a very distinct and strong flavor, but complement the spinach perfectly. And then the lemon. Ah, the lemon! The lemon ties everything together. It's quick, it's easy, it's delicious. Basically, we loved it.

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Spinach and Sun-Dried TomatoesRecipe by Kelly
Pictures by Caroline

1 lb penne/spiral pasta
6 oz goat cheese*
1 small jar sun dried tomatoes (in oil), drained
1 bag spinach, coarsely chopped
1 plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook just until firm. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan. Add the spinach and saute until spinach begins to wilt, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Mix 3 tablespoons olive oil and goat cheese together in a large bowl. Add hot pasta and stir until pasta is well coated with cheese.
4. Reheat pan with wilted spinach. Add cheese/pasta mixture to pan with spinach. Add sun dried tomatoes, salt, pepper and lemon juice and stir until well combined.

*Be sure to get the non-crumbled kind, as it will melt better on the pasta.

Spinach Cheese Enchiladas

I originally got this recipe from Wegmans, also known as the most fantastic grocery store in the world (any of you who grew up on the east coast, or rather in the vicinity of New York or Virginia, may know what I'm talking about). It's a fast, easy, decently healthy vegetarian dish (if you use low-fat cheese, of course). And you can add an extra kick to these "enchiladas" by using a spicier cheese like pepper jack and medium or hot salsa. Or add a Greek twist with some feta.

I've always thought there was something wrong calling this dish an "enchilada." Yes, they are tortillas with salsa, but the ricotta cheese and spinach just don't shout Mexican to me. Alas, I can't come up with a better name- if you have any suggestions, feel free to share!

Spinach Cheese Enchiladas

Recipe by Kelly
Pictures by Caroline

1 1/2 bags fresh spinach, coursely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup white cheese, shredded (mozzarella, pepper jack, or white cheddar)
8-10 tortillas
2 cups salsa
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan.
   
2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook just until slightly wilted.
3. In a large bowl, mix cheeses, salt, and pepper. Add wilted spinach to cheese and stir until combined.
4. Pour 1 cup of salsa on bottom of pan. Spoon cheese-spinach mixture into tortillas and roll, placing seam side down onto pan.
5. Pour remaining cup of salsa over top of rolled tortillas. Bake uncovered 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.

Red Bell Peppers with Spinach and Raisins

I'm always looking for creative ways to serve vegetables with dinner. After all, frozen peas or broccoli tend to get a bit old after a while. This dish is elegant, delicious, and definitely unique. Don't be alarmed by the seemingly strange combination of ingredients; the raisins are a great with the tangy balsamic vinegar and sweet red bell peppers. Try it out and let us know what you think!

Red Bell Peppers with Spinach and Raisins
Adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2004
Pictures by Caroline

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 red bell peppers, cut into strips
3/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups spinach

1. Heat oil in very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all peppers and sauté until slightly softened, stirring occasionally, 5-7 minutes.
   
2. Add raisins. Continue to cook until peppers are soft, about 5 more minutes.
   
3. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add 4 cups spinach to peppers and stir until it begins to wilt, about 1 minute.
   

Spinach Tortellini Salad

Note: Don't publish posts to delicious foods while your stomach is rumbling, it just makes it worse!

Okay, so this salad is yummy and doesn't require much work. The most time consuming thing is making the dressing, which only takes a matter of minutes. Be sure to wash your spinach leaves really well, because they always seems to be full of dirt. As a side note, always dry your lettuce as best you can before adding dressing (a salad spinner is a wonderful invention). I learned from working in a restaurant years ago, that if the lettuce is too wet, the dressing won't stick to it, and you won't taste the dressing (and let's be honest, that is half the goodness of a salad's flavor). Enjoy!


Spinach Tortellini Salad
Recipe from my friend Caitlin
Pictures by Caroline

Dressing:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (I used white wine vinegar and it worked great)
1/4 cup salad oil (light extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon grated onion (I love onion! I used about ¼ cup of grated red onions)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (I used about 2 tablespoons of seeds and toasted them in my toaster oven for a couple of minutes)

Salad:
½ lb baby spinach leaves
12 oz. premade cheese tortellini’s (cooked and chilled)
1 can, canned mandarin oranges
¾ cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:
1. Bring sugar and vinegar to a boil in small sauce pan. Stir until sugar dissolves; take off stove.
2. Add oil, salt, paprika, grated onion, and sesame seeds. Stir really well or pour everything into a jar and shake until well mixed; let dressing sit (the longer it sits before you toss on salad the better--I make it the night before, or the morning of).
3. Mix salad ingredients together; toss in the dressing and bacon just before serving so nothing gets soggy.

This recipe makes a large salad, enough for about 10-12 servings, so it is great to take to parties, like bridal showers where I recently served it.
-Caroline